Freitag, 11. März 2011

Victory Party

Thursday, 10 March, has been one of the more surprising days of this month. Been to the shop, totally knackered after what was supposed to be a quick visit to Fuerth's punkrock venue, the o27, on Wedensday but turned out to be a pretty long night in the end. Was a lovely gig though. In fact the band's name was The Lovely Eggs, a great Lancashire outfit somewhat between Half Japanese and Scout Niblett. Well, funnier than Scout Niblett I'd say. But anyway that was Wednesday and the surprising one was Thursday. Surprising because I went slightly hangovered to empty my P.O. Box. Found an envelope from Canada there, sent by Mint Records. Guess what was in there! The new Geoff Berner album "Victory Party".


Listening to it now the second day. It's amazing. Really. Had serious doubts about it beforehand after I heard it's going to be an album with a real producer (Socalled), in a real studio with one hell of a lot of real musicians guesting. Sounded all like a setting that has got everything to really ruin an album.

In fact it didn't.

In fact the album sounds to me the first time like a real klezmer album that might even work out for the real klezmer people and us. Compared to the previous releases this one takes all the reputation and credibility acquired over the past years and dares to walk the narrow line that defines the difference between just another shiny world music production and album of the decade. And right, it is all HUGE in terms of sound, arrangement and all this. But then again - there are the lyrics and there are characters like Geoff or violin player Diona (man - that Sluttarded cover "Jail" is a blinder!). They managed to get all their crazy stage energy on to these recordings and the first time the stuff has got everything to reach a more traditional klezmer audience. Is it just those clarinets? Might be, might be not.
Whatever it is - they do deserve it. In fact the world needs albums like this and stubborn artists who just carry on year after year after year to consequently work on their original vision of whatever genre deserve to be known by as many people as in any way possible.
Give them airplay, give them money, give them fame. As much as possible and even a bit more of it. If you who are reading this are anywhere near - there is no excuse for missing a Geoff Berner gig on his upcoming tour. Absolutely none.

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